Combination hot water mixer and steam trap



Sept. 24, 1957 T. A. CARLSON, JR 2,807,421

COMBINATION HOT WATER MIXER AND STEAM TRAP Filed June 1, 1955 24 IN V EN TOR.

\ stern that is screwed into the plug. The end face of this plug is formed with a recess providing access to the end of the threaded stem so that the latter may be rotated to 2,807,421 adjust the position of the thermostat relative to the plug. COMBINATION HOT WATER MIXER AND 5 This recess is normally closed by a removable auxiliary STEAM TRAP Plug: I i

Still another object of the invention is to provide in at Thomas Carlson, Mount Royal, combination hot water mixer and steam trap of the character indicated, a valve seat member that is removable so Apphcamm June 1955 Sena! 512556 that it may be replaced by other valve seat members hav- 2 Claims. (Cl. 236-12) ing bores of dififerent diameters.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention, such as arise in connection with carrying out the above-noted ideas in a practical embodiment, will The present invention relates to steam traps and is conin part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated cerned primarily with a device that is intended to function as the description of the invention proceeds.

either as a steam trap or a hot Water mixer. The invention, therefore, comprises a combination hot At the present time, there aremany places where there water mixer and steam trap consisting, essentially, of a is need of an adequate supply of water under adesired hollow body in the form of a cylindrical casing having a pressure and at a proper temperature. This is particularly bushing in its upper end to which is connected a steam true in the scouring of floors of factories, garages, warepipe with the bushing on its inner face carrying a removhouses, and other places where the floor becomes dirty by able valve sea-t member. The lower end of the casing is the accumulation of grease and other materials that are closed by a plug on which is adjustably supported a therhard to remove. As a general rule, the buildings which mostat with a rod extending upwardly from the latter have need of this supply of hot water for cleansing purand carrying a conical valve which cooperates with the poses will also have a source of supply of steam under valve seat member. The casing is formed with a cold pressure. water inlet that is adapted to be closed by a plug to convert With the foregoing conditions in mind, the present inthe device to a steam trap and with a discharge opening vention has in view as its foremost objective the provision adjacent to its lower end. of a device that is operative to mix steam with cold water I For a full and more complete understanding of the inso as to provide hot water for cleansing or other purposes. vention, reference may behad to the following description It is important that the temperature of the hot water and accompanying drawing wherein the figure is a longiwhich is supplied be accurately controlled. Obviously, tudinal vertical section through a combination hot water the temperature of the ultimate mixture depends directly mixer and steam trap designed in accordance with the upon the amount of steam which is mixed with the cold precepts of this invention. water. Accordingly, the invention has afurther object the Referring now to the drawing, the combination hot provision of a hot water mixer of the character indicated water mixer and steam trap of this invention is shown which includes temperature responsive means for autoas comprising a hollow body 10 which is preferably of matically controlling the amountof steam which is admit- Wrought iron and of cylindrical formation. This body 10 ted to the mixing chamber. defines a mixing chamber 11.

In carrying out the above-noted ideas in a practical em- At the upper end, the cylindrical body 10 is interiorly bodiment, the device includes as an essential element a threaded, as indicated at 1'2), and screwed into these threads hollow cylindrical body which defines the mixing chamber. 12 is a bushing 13. The bushing 13 has a threaded bore 14 This body carries at one end a bushing which functions as extending entirely therethrough. A steam pipe is reprea coupling for a steam line and also carries a valve seat 4 sented at 15 and has a threaded end portion 16. This member on its inner end. The opposite end of the body threaded portion is screwed into the outer end of the or casing is provided with a plug whi h carries a thermothreaded bore 14. A valve seat member 17 is exteriorly stat with the latter, in turn, being operatively connected to threaded, as indicated at 18, and is screwed into the end a rod which, at its free end, carries a comically shaped valve of the threaded bore 14, with the threaded connection bemember that extends into the valve seat member. The ing adjustable to permit variations in the position of the casing is also provided with a cold water inlet and a disvalve-seat member 17 relative to the bushing 13. This charge opening. 7 valve seat member 17 has an axial passage 19 which termi- It is evident that the amount of steam which enters into nates on the inner face in a valve seat 20. the mixing chamber from the steam pipe depends directly The lower end of the body 10 is also interiorly threaded, on the relation of the conical'valve member and valve seat 5 as indicated at 21. Screwed into these threads 21 is a plug member or, stating it in another way, the extent to which 22. The plug 22 is formed with a threaded passage 23 the conical valve is inserted into the valve seat member. that terminates in a counterbore or recess 24. The latter This factor is directly controlled by the temperature of the is interiorly threaded, as indicated at 25, and screwed into mixture within the chamber. When this mixture reaches these threads 25 is an auxiliary plug 26 having tool engaga predetermined temperature, the conical valve will fully ing means in the form of a slot 27. close the opening in the valve seat member and thus, out A screw stem 28 is screwed into the threaded passage 23, oil the supply of steam. As the temperature of the mixture and at its lower or exposed end is formed with tool engagfalls, the valve is again opened. ing means in the form of a slot 29. Mounted on the upper An important object of the invention is to provide a hot end of the stem 23 is a bellows-type thermostat 30. Ex water mixer of the character above indicated which is tending upwardly from the upper end face of the thermoadapted to have its cold water inlet closed by aplug wherestat 39 is a threaded rod 31. Screwed onto this rod 31 by the device is adapted to function as a steam trap. is a sleeve 32. Carried by this sleeve 32 is a rod 33, the Still another object of the invention is to provide for an upper free end of which is formed as a conically shaped adjustment of the mounting of the thermostat on its supvalve member 34, the point 35 of which extends into the porting plug so that the hot water mixer may be adjusted 7O passage 19. to vary the temperature of the ultimate mixture. This end Adjacent to its upper end, the casing 10 is formed with a is accomplished by mounting the thermostat on a threaded boss 36 having a threaded inlet passage 37. These threads another boss 39 through which extends a discharge opening 40 with the walls of the latter threaded, as-illustrated.

A discharge pipe 41 is screwed into the threaded opening 40. y y g l Operation While'the mode of" operation of the combination hot water mixerand steamtrap is believed to be obvious from the illustration of the drawing and description of parts given, it may be briefly outlined as follows:

The pipe 38 extends to a sourceof supply of cold water while the pipe 15 extends to a source of supply of steam under pressure. The auxiliary plug 26 may be removed to obtain 1access to the slot 29 in the end of the screw stem 28 so that the thermostat 30 is adjusted relative to the plug 22 afterwhich the auxiliary plug is replaced.

Steam from the pipe 15 and cold water from the pipe 38 enter the mixing chamber 11 and are thoroughly intermixed. This, of course, raiser the temperature of the water, and the hot water passes through the discharge pipe 41. As thetemperature. of the mixture rises, the thermostat 30 is atfected to raise the rod 33 and valve member 34 carried thereby so that the latter is inserted into the passage 19 to restrict the effective area of the valve seat 20. As this area is restricted, the amount of steam which is admitted is reduced. This action is continued until the valve member 34 completely closes the passage 19 and cuts off the supply of steam.

As the temperature falls, the thermostat 30 contracts and withdraws the valve member 34 to open the valve seat 20.

Whenit is desired to use the device as a stea m trap alone, the cold water pipe 38 is removed and replaced by a plug. The steamWtrap functions in the manner substantially the same as that abovedescribed. That is when the steam in the chamber 11 is of a predetermined temperature, the thermostat 30 causes the valve 34 to close the valve seat 20.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions, mechanisms, and devices illustrated and described, because various modifications of these details may 'be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hot water mixer, a cylindrical casing intended 4. passage coaxial with the bore of said casing the inner end of which constitutes a valve seat, an externally threaded plug screwed into the lower end of said casing, a vertically disposed bellows-type thermostat adjustably mounted on said plug, a vertical rod within said casing and centrally arranged in spaced relation with respect to the bore of said casing, said rod having its lower end operatively connected to said thermostat to be moved thereby, and a pointed conical valve member at the upper end of said rod and extending into the inner end of said passage whereby lateral displacement of the upper end of said rod is limited and the ettective area of the opening defined by said valve seat is varied by movement of said rod, said casing being formed with a cold-water inlet adjacent to the top thereof and a discharge opening adjacent to the bottom thereof.

2. In a hot water mixer, a cylindrical casing intended to be vertically positioned and having a bore providing a mixing chamber, said casing being internally threaded at the opposite ends of said bore, an externally threaded bushing screwed into the upper end of said casing and having a threaded bore substantially coaxial with the bore of said casing, the outer end portion of the threaded bore of said bushing being adapted to have a steampipe connected thereto, an externally threaded valve-seat member screwed into the inner end of the bore of said bushing whereby it is removably mounted and longitudinally adjustable, said valve-seat member having a longitudinal passage coaxial with the bore of said casing the inner end of which constitutes a valve seat, an externally threaded plug screwed into the lower end of said casing and having a central threaded aperture and a threaded counterbore, an external- 1y threaded auxiliary plug screwed into said counterbore, a threaded stem screwed into said aperture and having an end accessible from said counterbore formed with toolengaging means, a vertically disposed bellows-type thermostat carried by said stem, a vertical rod within said casing and centrally arranged in spaced relation with respect to the bore of said casing, said rod having its lower end operatively connected to said thermostat to be moved thereby, and a pointed conical valve member at the upper end of said rod and extending into the inner end of said passage whereby lateral displacement of the upper end of said rod is limited and the eflfective area of the opening defined by said valve seat is varied by movement of said rod, said casing being formed with a cold-water inlet adjacent to the top thereof and a discharge opening adjacent to the bottom thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,141,520 Dube Dec. 27, 1938 2,296,128 Weingarten Sept. 15, 1942 2,335,250 Adlam Nov. 30, 1943 2,539,280 Smith Ian. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 282,269 Germany Feb. 22, 1915 352,345 Germany Apr; 25, 1922 

